Low-liquid alarm



W. GRAH.

LOW LIQUID ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-6,1920.

1,3?3,420, Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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WILLIAM GRAI'I, 0E WATIERVILLE, OHIO. I

LOW-LIQUID ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed December 6, 1920. Serial No. 428,448.

To aZZ whomz't may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GRAH, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of i Vaterville, in the county of Lucas and State of @hio, havemade an Invention Appertaining to Low-Liquid Alarms; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to alarm devices, for use particularly inconnection with the liquid containing tanks of automobiles or othervehicles to indicate a predetermined low lip d level therein.

The object of my invention is the provision of a simple, elficient andnovel signal means of the character described, which is operable bymovements of the associated vehicle to sound an audible alarm when theliquid in the container is at a predetermined low level.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, andwhile, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerousforms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention inconnection with a container, with parts in section and with the liquidin low level position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the devicewith parts removed and broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevationof a device with parts broken away and parts removed, and Fig. 4 is anelevation similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a liquid container or tankhaving an opening 2 in the top thereof closed by a remov-. able cap 3.The cap 3 is provided on-its top with an arch or yoke member 4; ofinverted U-form, which carries a hell or resonant member 5 suspendedtherein with its open side downward.

A stud 6 rises from the top of the cap 3, at one side of its center andwithin the resonant member 5, and carries an escapement wheel 7 andbevel gear 8 for free turnmovemen h e n and in connected, re

lation to turn together. An escapement pallet 9 is pivotally carried bythe cap for engagement with the escapement wheel 7 and carries a strikerfinger 10 for striking engagement with the resonant member 5 when thepallet is oscillated by a rotation of the escapement wheel.

The bevel gear 8 is connected to a drive shaft 11 through a bevel gear12, said shaft being carried at right angles to the stud 6 by a bracket13 rising from the cap top. A pinion 14: is loosely carried by. theshaft 11 in sleeve connection with the gear 12 where by the two mayfreely turn together on the shaft. A rack-bar 15 is in mesh with thepinion 14 and extends down through an opening in the cap and into thecontainer 1 to near its bottom. A float 16 is carried by the rack-bar sothat a vertical reciprocatory movement of the float occasioned by aswishing or movement of the liquid within the container, when at apredetermined low level position will communicate the verticalreciprocatory movement to the rack-bar to rock the escapement wheel 7first in one direction and then the other through the intermediategearing. It is preferable to mount the fioat 16 loosely on the rack-bar15 for limited reciprocatory movements longitudinally thereof, suchmovements being limited by upper and lower stops 1? on the rack-bar.With this arrangement, the float as it rises and falls is permitted toacquire some movement rela tive to the rack-bar before striking one orthe other of the stops 1'? so that when coming in contact therewith itwill have a hammering or striking action thereon to tend to loosen theactuating mechanism for the striker 10 should it have a tendency tostick or resist a movement of the rack bar.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4; the actuating mechanism for thestriker is all located'within the tank with the exception of theescapement means which is carried by the cap within the resonant member.In this form ofthe invention the float 20 is free to have verticalmovements on a guide bar 21 fixedly extending downward from the cap 3into the container and being pref erably square in cross-section andfitting in a square opening in the float to prevent a relative turningof the latter. The float ias a rack bar 22 extending downward there-Iiim engagement with a pi ion 23 moun ed loosely on a stud projectingfrom a bracket 24 extending down within the container from the cap 3.The pinion 23 is provided on its side with a set of bevel teeth in meshwith a bevel pinion 25 on a vertical shaft 26, which is journaled at itslower end in a part of the bracket 24 and, in the present instance,extends upward freely through an opening in the float 20 and through abearing in the cap 3. An escapement wheel 27 is carried by the shaft 26above the ca p and acts on the escapement pallet 28 of a striker finger29 to operate said finger to strike the resonant member 5 when theshaft- 26 is turned.

It is evident with both forms of the invention that the alarm means iscarried by the cap 3 and may be removed as a unit therewith from thecontainer.

I wish it understood that my invention not limited to any specificconstruction, arrangement, or form of the parts, as it is capable ofnumerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit ofthe claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In combination, a liquid container, a

resonant member carried by the container, a striker for said member,mechanism for imparting striking movements to the striker and includinga rack-bar extending into the container, and a float carried by therack-bar within the container and adapted to reciprocate the rack barwhen the float is reciprooated, the float being carried by the rack-barfor limited movements longitudinally thereof whereby the float ispermitted to gather momentum in its movement before imparting movementto the bar.

2. In combination, a liquid container having an opening therein, a capfor removably closing said opening, a resonant member carried by thecap, a striker carried by the cap, a float within the container, andmechanism carried by the cap and connecting the float and striker, saidmechanism being operable by movements of the float to impart resonantmember striking movements to the striker, the resonant member, striker,float and mechanism being carried as unit by the cap and removabletherewith from the container.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification.

WILLIAM GRAH.

